About Acoustics Pens

My name is Bartek Plichta. I have been collecting, repairing, and restoring fountain pens since around 2008. I have a special interest in vintage Sheaffer pens, but also restore Wahl-Eversharp, and Parker pens.

Discover the pleasure of writing with a restored, well-tuned vintage fountain pen. Many of the pens made in the first half of the 20th. century are technological marvels. If treated with respect, they're going to give you years of reliable and enjoyable service.

Why is this site called "Acoustic Pens?" A well-tuned nib makes a beautiful sound as it glides across the page. The pen's acoustics are an important part of our enjoyment of a pen. Acoustic Pens is based in Texas, USA.

How to order

You can see which pens are currently available by clicking "FOR SALE" or "EBAY" at the top of the page. If you find a pen that you like, please, email me and tell me which pen you'd like to order. I will then send you a PayPal invoice. I usually ship withing 24 hours of receiving payment. International shipping is available, though I typically ship by USPS Flat Rate International Small Box, unless you specify otherwise. The less expensive shipping option, USPS First Class International, does not provide insurance or detailed tracking, so you would be taking a slight risk there. Thanks!

I've been struggling with health issues these past few months, with few good days, but I'm planning to return to restoring fountain pens and rejoining this awesome community, one day. Huge thanks to all of you for your kindness and concern. I have to keep this quick so here's my latest small electronics project (I'm still not well enough to work on pens). The Gossen Luna Pro is a fantastic analog exposure meter from the 1970s. Alas, it was built around the now obsolete and illegal PX13 mercury battery. To use with modern batteries, the circuit board must be modified and the meter recalibrated. I just finished working on it, and it performs accurately and reliably. A precision device from the heyday of analog photography. And, yes, it's just as useful with digital. #photography #analogphotography #gossenlunapro #film #incidentmeter #zonesystem

In the late 1930s and throughout the 1940s, the pen industry underwent a major shift toward sturdy, dependable, always-ready, consistent, self-filling pens that were supposed to perform equally well regardless of one's ink, writing technique, paper, air pressure/temperature, and other, sometimes extreme, conditions. Each major brand offered a lifetime warranty on their flagship models, and made sure their pens would not require servicing often.
In terms of nib design, there was a definite transition toward less flexible, larger, thicker nibs with plenty of tipping material, consistent with the dominant handwriting styles of the era. For most people, including office professionals, Ornamental Penmanship was quickly becoming less practical and was gradually phased out in favor of the more rapid and legible business cursive, such as the Palmer Method. Flexible nibs were still available as special-order items, but the vast majority of gold nibs made at the time were semi-flexible or firm, ideal for rapid cursive handwriting.
Parker's nib design focused on improving the gold point's ability to absorb vibrations caused by dragging the tip across the surface of the paper. Such vibrations are often perceived as unpleasant, and nib makers went to great lengths to minimize them. The Vacumatic nib was a great example of this new type of design. The nib has variable thickness (strategically distributed), which further improves its "compliance," its ability to seamlessly conform to the writer's movement, responding to even the slightest variation in pressure, direction, and rapidity, while soaking up microscopic paper bumps with ease. This particular nib lays down a line of about 0.3 mm (on my paper) and spreads easily to about 0.7 mm with slight increase in writing pressure. This is not a fully flexible nib, so please do not try to push it beyond its limit, but it can be used rather effectively to instantly add character to your handwriting.
Details on my website. Thanks! #parker #vacumatic #vintagepen #penmanship #cursive #handwriting

First of all, thank you all for all your good wishes! I am slowing beginning to improve, and having received so much support, really makes me feel so much better!
Today's pen is the rare and highly sought after, wartime Sheaffer Triumph Valiant Vac Oversize, with a matching mechanical pencil and in its original box.
Sheaffer's crowning achievement, the now very rare Oversize Valiant, with the efficient, high-capacity vacuum filling mechanism (up to 1.8 ml using the two-stroke method), made out of the gorgeous striated Golden Brown celluloid, with a matching section, a transparent barrel, and, of course, the Lifetime Triumph nib. In my opinion, this particular model is the Iowa company's greatest technological accomplishment. A perfect marriage of design and engineering, a union so desirable and yet so elusive.
The pen is large, by vintage standards, it posts very well, and so it should be comfortable to hold for most fountain pen enthusiasts. With its superb ergonomics, a slightly textured section, the pen will lend itself to hours of effortless writing. The Triumph nib is so forgiving, so smooth, capable of rapid strokes in virtually all directions. Whether you're right or left-handed, whether you use the tripod or the death grip, whether you right with a featherweight pressure or a heavy hand, the nib will conform to your needs with willingness and ease. It lays down a standard Sheaffer Fine line of about 0.4 mm (on my paper), which puts it in-between modern Western XF and F. The nib is firm, but feels somewhat soft on paper. It's not glassy smooth, but it's not meant to be! It has just enough tooth to provide a seamless connection to the paper, but without feeling unpleasant in any way.
Details on my website. Thanks! #sheaffer #vintagepen #penmanship #cursive #handwriting #penaddict

My apologies for not posting as often this past week, as I've been dealing with some health problems. I know some of you have been patiently waiting for your vintage dream pens, and I really appreciate your support and interest in my pens. I will be posting on my regular daily schedule as of today.
The pen I am offering today is perhaps the most important fountain pen of the 1940s. Yes, Parker, Wahl-Eversharp, and Waterman all made beautiful pens in that era, but Sheaffer's Triumph was a pivotal accomplishment in the history of the fountain pen.
A product of several years of vigorous R&D, the Triumph was an utterly modern fountain pen, "far ahead of anything in the field." The Triumph accomplished what had seemed an intractable pen design problem before, namely, a consistent, silky smooth flow of ink, under various conditions, including temperature, barometric pressure, ink, paper, and one's writing technique. The Triumph ink delivery system excels at buffering the ever expanding and contracting volume of ink inside the reservoir (here, directly inside the barrel). The task is accomplished by an oversize ebonite feed with a huge surface area of its numerous fins and, crucially, a large channel running inside it. Sheaffer took advantage of its advanced R&D and testing laboratories to perfect the Triumph, including rigorous testing, by man and machine. The quote I wrote comes from a 1942 statement that accompanied the launch of the Triumph vac filler.
The pen I'm offering today is a great specimen of the Triumph, perhaps its most iconic model. Built from the gorgeous striated Golden Brown celluloid, with a transparent barrel, adorned with impeccable gold-filled trim, the pen is truly beautiful. It's in excellent condition, too, with only very minor surface wear, difficult to see with the naked eye. Functionally, the pen is as close to its factory condition as possible, with an efficient filling mechanism (up to 1.8 ml of ink using the two-stroke method), and superb ergonomics.
More details on my website. Thanks! #sheaffer #vintagepen #fountainpen #penmanship

One of the most intractable problems that a fountain pen designer must try to solve is handling the expansion of ink due to changes in temperature and pressure. Today, sadly, but understandably, most pen makers focus on aesthetics rather than engineering aspects of pen design, and, as a result, most pens made today employ a similar, simple method of regulating flow, i.e., a plastic (or, rarely, ebonite) feed with a relatively larger surface area and one (sometimes two) channels. As a result, modern pens are not particularly good at dealing with ink flow fluctuations, particularly those due to changes in temperature. We keep hearing stories of pens "exploding," leaking, burping, when the temperature or atmospheric pressure go up or down by a significant amount.
In the early 1940s, Sheaffer brought to market its own solution to regulating ink flow, the Triumph system. The Triumph solves the ink expansion problem by providing an oversize ebonite feed with a large surface area and a large channel that runs inside it. The feed is enclosed in a cylinder made of 14k gold, which offers an additional buffering capability and further protects the system against external factors, such as drying out. By today's standards, the Triumph is "ahead of anything in the field" despite predating modern pens by more than half a century.
What this means to us, writers, is that a Triumph pen is going to give us that silky smooth, well-controlled, generous, steady, and delightful flow of ink, regardless of atmospheric conditions, and will be resilient against quirks of ink, paper, and writing technique. The pen I'm offering today is a great specimen of the Triumph, in fantastic condition, and made of the highly coveted Carmine celluloid. And, it's priced well below most modern pens of comparable features and performance.
Details on my website. Thanks! #sheaffer #vintagepen #penmanship

I am often asked for advice regarding vintage fountain pens. One of the most frequently asked questions is what pen I recommend as a "safe bet," a pen that can easily be considered a top-tier pen, yet one that sells for a lot less than a modern pen with comparable features and performance. Those of you who follow me on Instagram probably know how much I love Sheaffer pens, but, to be honest, it is the wartime Parker Vacumatic Major that makes the best first premium vintage pen for beginners and advanced collectors alike.
The Major is a larger pen in Parker's line-up, but it does appear somewhat smaller, compared to most modern luxury pens. Still, it has superb ergonomics, posts extremely well, and feels very comfortable, regardless of your grip. The material is gorgeous, particularly in Azure! The barrel has very nice transparency, which allows you to gauge your remaining ink level with ease. Speaking of ink, the Vacumatic holds a lot of it, up to 1.7 ml (with some variation across models), and comes equipped with one of the most ingenious and reliable filling mechanisms ever made.
The wartime Vacumatic really excels as a writing instrument. It comes with a fantastic 14k gold nib, one that writes at the lightest touch, and when pressed harder, rewards you with a hint of line variation, instantly adding character to your handwriting. It's precise and yet it has excellent performance latitude, laying down a satisfying line in virtually all directions, with luscious long curves and steadfast rapid upstrokes. A fantastic tool with which to take your handwriting to the next level.
#more on my website. Thanks!
#parker #vacumatic #vintagepen #fountainpen #penmanship

When it comes to classy good looks, the wartime Sheaffer Statesman is definitely in my Top Five. Made of the highly coveted striated Carmine celluloid, the pen looks stunning. The material has such depth, such vibrancy, such shimmering character. The barrel has excellent transparency, and the gold-filled trim looks superb. The imprint is strong. Quite honestly, the pen looks as good as any modern luxury pen and would feel right at home sharing a display case with the latest Montegrappa or Visconti. And, this is the more desirable (and rare) Statesman variant, with a matching striated section and ink stored directly inside the barrel.
However, this pen also happens to be a fantastic performer. It is meant to post securely, so it should be perfectly comfortable for people with larger hands. It's balanced so well, it feels like an extension of your hand. When I put it to paper, I get this exquisite extra-fine monoline of about 0.4 mm. A line that never falters, never skips, or starves for ink. A line that impresses with its sheer willingness to perform. Unlike modern XF nibs, the Triumph has none of the usual toothiness or scratchiness, virtually regardless of your grip, holding angle, or writing pressure. A great pen for anyone wishing to improve their penmanship, particularly cursive, thanks to its impressively larger sweet spot and forgiving nature. And, it holds up to 1.6 ml of ink (using the two-stroke method). More details on my website. Thanks!
#sheaffer #vintagepen #fountainpen #penaddict #penmanship #cursive

Parker 51 is not only "the world's most wanted pen," but it is also, in my opinion, a writer's pen, a pen for people who love to write. No, it's not made of fancy, colorful acrylic; no, it's not finished in Maki-e; no, it's not adorned with a snowflake. However, it's a beautifully designed, very well-made, highly comfortable, stylish writing machine. A pen that accommodates a variety of grips, angles, and rotation. With a dependable slip cap, ready to deploy, ready to write, this is one of the most reliable writing instruments that I have ever tried. Parker's solution to the age-old problem of fluid expansion and contraction under different conditions, is perhaps the most foolproof, resulting in a pen that has silky-smooth, consistent flow of ink, a pen that glides across the page, but without making a messy line. A crisp and precise writer, just when you need it the most.
This particular pen is in excellent condition, without any flaws or defects. The filling mechanism works efficiently and holds a lot of ink (up to 1.8 ml). The cap is in equally great shape, as is the gold-filled trim. The imprint is strong. Quite honestly, this is a gorgeous specimen of this iconic model. The Blue Diamond indicates the pen's extreme durability, and you can be sure that this pen will give you years of dependable service. A true XXF writer, you'd be hard-pressed to find an equally great factory nib that writes so fine so well today.
Details on my website. Thanks! #parker #vintagepen #penmanship #penaddict

I think it's fair to say that the vast majority of fountain pens made in the first half of the 20th century are quite a bit smaller than modern pens. However, each of the major U.S. pen companies did make at least one oversize model to meet the needs of customers with larger hands. Such pens are exceedingly rare today, and, often, are sold at significantly higher prices than their standard-size counterparts.
I am really excited to be offering another Sheaffer Valiant Oversize today, a pen that's as beautiful as it is functional, and, yet, reasonably priced. This is a full-size pen, even by modern standards, measuring about 5.2" capped and 0.48" in diameter. Still, it's significantly smaller and lighter than modern OS pens, such as Delta Dolcevita OS and Visconti Divina Maxi, which tells you just how radically our taste in pen size has changed over the years.
The star of the show is the 14k Triumph nib. Designed on the "rocker" principle, with a slightly upturned tip, the nib produces the smoothest, most consistent monoline (about 0.4 mm on my paper), virtually regardless of your holding angle, rotation about the page, grip, or writing pressure. A conventional nib has a relatively small "sweet spot," a highly polished writing surface that creates optimal contact with the paper. However, if you rotate the nib or change your holding angle, you will inevitably get off the sweet spot, causing variation in line width, disruption to ink flow, and that dreaded sensation of scratchiness. Not with the Triumph nib! It's a truly ingenious design and one that you really have to try to understand just how forgiving it is.
More details on my website. Thanks!
#sheaffer #vintagepen #fountainpen #penmanship #penaddict

It's very interesting that a lot of new fountain pen enthusiasts are interested in improving their handwriting, and, in particular, in learning (or re-learning) cursive. There's been a lot of discussion lately about the value of learning cursive, and, often, the fountain pen is thought of as the ideal tool with which to practice cursive penmanship. I am not sure if the fountain pen is the answer, but I do believe it offers a combination of features that can be extremely helpful in improving one's handwriting.
The Parker Vacumatic I'm offering today is an excellent penmanship improvement tool. It is a full-size pen (though somewhat smaller than most modern luxury pens), perfectly balanced, with a pleasant tactile sensation, a high-capacity filling mechanism, and an XF semi-flexible nib. The nib is tuned to write at the lightest touch, producing a line of about 0.3 mm (on my paper), opening up to about 0.7 mm, with relative ease. However, this nib is not meant to be flexed a lot, but, rather, it's excels at adding a touch of character, a hint of line variation to your handwriting.
The nib comes with ample tipping material, of perfect geometry and alignment, giving you consistency, virtually regardless of the direction or rapidity of your strokes. Admittedly, the nib produces a more graceful line with rapid strokes, but you can also use it effectively for slow, methodical practice.
More details on my website. Thanks!
#parker #vacumatic #penmanship #cursive #handwriting